Oysters
by witchcastle
Summary: Mark becomes ill bringing out a softer caring side of Maureen even he has never seen before... well if only for a little while! Pre RENT oneshot


**Oysters**

Notes –I don't own RENT or its characters as you know they belong to Mr Larson.

This is a pre rent fic with nothing very naughty to report. This is my first RENT fic; wish me luck!

Summary – Mark becomes ill bringing out a softer caring side of Maureen even he has never seen before. Well if only for a little while…pre RENT one-shot

"We are bound to our bodies like an oyster is to its shell." Plato quotes

He knew who to blame but he could hardly blame the person who was gently stroking his head as he expelled his guts into a red bucket.

Mark hadn't been sick for awhile and he was embarrassed because he always cried like a big girl when he threw up, luckily he hadn't muttered for his mummy yet and Maureen was ignoring the tears.

'My poor Pookie!' She sighed as she rubbed his back. 'Get it all out! That's right all those yucky oysters which I told you not to eat…' She was interrupted by the sound of him retching.

'You…' Mark sputtered. 'You ordered them…then…didn't eat…' He was sick again and moaned, the tears were coming in force now, Maureen got up and got a cold wash cloth and wiped the sweat from his face and put the cloth on his neck, it was nice and cold.

'I know I know but it doesn't matter now.' She patted his head and finally he stopped being sick and flopped back on the bed.

'Eww…' Maureen bravely carried the bucket to the bathroom she returned with it empty and washed.

'Thanks...sorry…' Mark said in little more than a whisper.

Maureen shrugged. 'You woulda done it for me.' She took the cloth and rinsed and returned it.

'So what have we learnt?' She asked with a raised eyebrow and a cheeky smile which made him smile, on the inside.

'Don't let you order your own food.' Mark replied with one eye open at her.

Maureen rolled her eyes.'Ok well then I learnt not to order oysters and you learnt not to eat them, fine?' Mark nodded feebly and Roger poked his head in.

'Hey man sounds deadly.'

'Don't worry.' Maureen said. 'He'll live.'

'Maybe.' Mark said darkly and Maureen smiled and patted his head.

'Well I gotta go down to the chemist anyways you want anything?' He asked sweetly.

'Run out of condoms again huh?' Maureen smiled; April had been staying over as much as her lately, nice girl if not slightly misguided.

Roger couldn't hide his grin. 'I'm a machine.' Mark threw something at him that landed at his feet but he took a hint.

'Well you better go now or it will close.' Mark groaned.

'Ok I will leave you to your misery, Maureen you good?'

Maureen smiled. 'Um you can get some coke Mark's gonna need the sugar later, anything from the chemist I have to get myself, there's a special type we use cause it's extra large.'

Mark sighed. He loved this woman.

'Well feel better, mate!' Roger left with his eyebrows in his hair.

Maureen turned to him. 'We even?' She asked and Mark nodded.

'Ok you try and sleep I gotta make a call ok.' She kissed his forehead, he was quite warm.

'Hmm you might have a fever.' She said quietly.

Mark groaned and closed his eyes.

'Bucket's here.' Maureen told him, closed the door gently behind her and took her phone into the living room and dialled.

'Uh hello this is Maureen Johnson, I was supposed to come to an audition this afternoon but I won't be able to make it today…can I postpone it for tomorrow by any chance…no no I understand it was worth a try…could you apologise for me…no I really can't get there. Ok. Ok Thank you. Bye.'

She hung up and sighed she could here Mark retching again she then dialled once more.

'Hi Mum it's me. I'm fine you? Good…listen is Dad there I have a medical question? No I'm fine it's Mark. He's got food poisoning…'

Maureen rolled her eyes as her mother cooed. Her parents loved Mark, it was almost disgusting. For some reason they preferred skinny Jewish nerds to the hot beef she used to bring home in college. Of course Mark had his charms; otherwise she wouldn't go out with him.

'Hey Daddy yeah he's kinda burning up. Ok, ok yeah I'll check so if it goes over take him to hospital…yep…yep thanks Daddy…Ok I'll tell him. Bye.'

She searched the cabinet above the stove and produced at thermometer it was old but would probably do the trick. She hoped Roger would be back with the coke soon. She was a little thirsty.

Marks head was spinning he was vaguely aware of Maureen next to him.

'What time is it?' He asked in a voice he didn't recognise.

'Late. Here drink this if you can.' She handed him the cola.

He was thirsty he gulped the whole glass back and she handed him another.

'This'll help your temperature.' She instructed him and shoved it in his mouth. 'How long…'

'Don't talk.' She ordered looking at her watch so Mark crossed his arms and obliged.

'Well you're OK I think the best you can do is sleep.' Maureen instructed finally taking the thermometer out of his mouth.

'Thanks doctor.' Mark smiled.

'Not me I spoke to Dad; just carrying his orders.' Mark raised an eyebrow.

'Oh don't look so surprised, I'm a nice person.' Maureen played a little nervously with his hair.

Mark finished his drink and lay back. 'Ugh this is a crappy crappy day.'

Maureen shrugged. 'Could be worse, could be your birthday.' She replied lying next to him.

'Or your birthday.' Mark said with a knowing smile, Maureen loved her birthdays it never seemed to bother her that she was getting older.

'Yeah that'd I'd really hate, no one is allowed to be sick on my birthday!'

Mark gave a mock salute. 'On my honour or may you use me as your sex plaything.'

'Already do baby.' Maureen replied giving his thigh a pat. 'In twenty four hours your mine!'

Mark sighed. 'Promises.'

Maureen raised an eyebrow. 'Oh yeah, I'd tie you up now if I wasn't worried about you puking seafood on me.'

Mark's stomach growled. 'Please don't say that word around me.'

'What puking or seafood?'

'Either.'

'Well get some sleep, I'm gonna change I'm not far behind you.'

Mark nodded and watched her with one eye as she slowly stripped off and slowly got into her pyjamas, well the view made him feel a little better. His stomach growled. Well a little was better than none at all.

Maureen crawled in next to him and rested on his shoulder. 'Get a good look?' She whispered quietly.

'Yep. Love you, Mo.'

She smiled and kissed him gently on the lips.

'Love you Marky, now shut up and sleep.'

He woke in the morning feeling a little weak but not like throwing up. He figured that could only be a good thing. Maureen was snoring softly beside him. He scooted out of bed and walked slowly with his head pounding to try and find something to drink. He settled for gulping and entire carton of milk.

'Thirsty?' April was sitting at the bench drinking coffee.

'Shit didn't se you there.'

'Didn't mean to scare you. Roger said you were sick, feeling better now?'

Mark nodded. 'A little.'

'Dairy may not be the best thing you probably need some Gatorade or something.'

'You're probably right. Where's Roger?'

April smiled. 'Chemist.'

Mark decided then that life was definitely unfair to him.

'Marky there you are up and about.' Maureen smiled and waved to April as she snogged him. Hard.

Ok so life wasn't that bad.

'Morning.' Mark said. 'Thanks for keeping me alive last night.'

'You weren't gonna die.' Maureen told him putting pop tarts in the toaster.

'Still.' April said into her coffee. 'None of us really know when it's gonna be the end' Quietly she got up and went into Rogers's room without another word.

'And I thought you were a Drama Queen.' Mark said to Maureen who smiled.

'Babe you have no idea.'

She was right, he really didn't.

The end

_Reviews are greatly appreciated!_


End file.
